U.S. Global Positioning System and
European Galileo System
(Jan. 8: Department of State Fact
Sheet)
Following is a fact sheet on the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the
European Galileo System, issued January 8 by the U.S. Department of State:
(begin fact sheet)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman January 8, 2004
FACT SHEET U.S. GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM AND EUROPEAN GALILEO SYSTEM
U.S. Global Positioning System
-- GPS is a dual-use system, designed to support both civil and military users.
-- U.S. policy is to provide civil GPS signals worldwide free of direct user
fees.
-- The United States is committed to providing uninterrupted service to civil
users around the world. The United States and its allies have contingency plans
for denying access to satellite navigation signals to adversaries within
specific areas of conflict, but to date this has never been done. GPS civil
service has never been interrupted.
-- The United States makes the civil GPS signal specifications available to the
public at no charge, enabling businesses, scientific institutions, and
government entities anywhere in the world to develop products, services, and
research tools on an equal basis.
-- GPS currently provides positioning data at an accuracy within 10 meters or
less. Advanced techniques and augmentations allow users to obtain positioning
accuracy in the millimeter range.
-- New civil signals will be introduced beginning later this year or early next
year. When fully operational, these added signals will increase the robustness
of the civil service and improve basic accuracy within 3-5 meters. Additional
upgrades are also being planned for the next generation of satellites, known as
GPS III.
Additional information on GPS can be found at the following websites:
www.igeb.gov, www.navcen.uscg.gov, gps.losangeles.af.mil, and gps.faa.gov
Galileo: Europe's Proposed Navigation Satellite System
-- The European Union is building its own global navigation satellite system
called Galileo, currently projected to be operational in 2008.
-- Galileo is slated to be a civil system that will be operated by a commercial
Galileo Concessionaire.
-- The European Union intends to launch a full constellation of satellites that
will be independent from GPS. Current plans call for Galileo to offer five
services including:
- An Open Service for mass market and recreational users
- A Commercial Service for specialized applications, with guaranteed service
- A Safety of Life Service providing higher reliability and additional integrity
data
- A Public Regulated Service for government-approved users
- A Search and Rescue Service
-- More information can be found on the European Commission's DGTREN web site:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/index_en.htm
